Thoracic Biorepository
The Vanderbilt Ingram Cancer Center Thoracic Biorepository was started over two decades ago by MASLAB's founding investigator, Dr. Pierre Massion. Today, our lab collaborates with academic and industry partners to discover and validate lung cancer imaging and liquid biomarkers. Collection of approximately 100 lung tissue samples (tumors and matched tissue controls) and samples from approximately 150 bronchoscopies are projected per year.
The biorepository team is supported by the NCI’s Early Detection Research Network and is one of two national clinical validation centers for the lung group. The biorepository ships about 5000 aliquots of annually. To access specimens or other biomarker resources, including biostatistical, market coverage, process evaluation and clinical implementation, fill out the thoracic biorepository request form below or email Dr. Stephen Deppen.
The Thoracic Biorepository stores 100,000+ biospecimens, including and not limited to bronchial biopsies, EDTA plasma, streck plasma, serum, genomic PBMC DNA, and pleural fluid. Imaging (CT) is also available. Most specimens are from treatment naïve, early detection participants. Epidemiological and outcome data are associated with each participant and their biospecimens.
The biorepository has two full sized centrifuges, seven large -80° freezers, a -196° liquid nitrogen cryofreezer for storage, and a 4° fridge and -20° freezer for temporary storage. All freezers have monitored alarm systems. The biorepository has dedicated working space and all other tools, training, and SOPs to operate. Specimens are de-identified and logged in a HIPAA-compliant manner. Specimens are tracked using a dedicated barcoding & database system.
The biorepository is funded through multiple NCI consortia to advance lung cancer research, including the Early Detection Research Network (EDRN) and the Cancer Imaging Biomarkers research group.
Biorepository Request Workflow
Our Team Members
- Stephen Deppen, PhD, Biorepository Director
- Joyce Johnson, MD, Pathologist
Our team members have years of experience in patient sample collection, processing, storage, and distribution. The biorepository collaborates with surgical pathologists who ensure collection and quality control of the tissue and review of tissue slides.
To access specimens or other biomarker resources, including biostatistical, market coverage, process evaluation and clinical implementation, complete this request form or email Dr. Deppen to discuss your needs.